Bob and weave: Graham maneuvers around conservative pushback

cnn.com ^ | 6/6/14 | Halimuh Abdullah

[cotton1706]

South Carolina political operatives say Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham deftly figured out how to duck, dodge and parry the kinds of conservative challenges that have bedeviled some fellow party incumbents this primary season.

The strategy seemed twofold: Make friends in enemy camps and wield a big war chest.

To accomplish the first part, he made strategic alliances with the tea party-backed newcomers in his congressional delegation who could have posed a political threat. Those lawmakers include people such as Rep. Trey Gowdy, a former state attorney and U.S. attorney. Conservatives in the Palmetto State had hoped Gowdy would challenge the state's senior senator.

When conservative radio host Laura Ingraham asked Gowdy in July if he would consider challenging Graham, the answer was a quick no.

"I have had a wonderful personal relationship with Senator Graham for 15 years," Gowdy told CNN in a statement on Friday. "For the past three years we have worked together on a number of issues ranging from debt reduction to Benghazi."

"I did not run for the Senate because, among other reasons, I don't want to be in the Senate," Gowdy said.

Graham and Gowdy, along with two other South Carolina congressional delegation members, Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Mick Mulvaney, helped take the lead in sponsoring legislation this year that would allow states to opt out of the individual and employer mandate portions of Obamacare.

[Blue Highway]

Looks like Trey Gowdy has now boarded the RINO Express.

ALL ABOARDDDDDD!!!!!!!!

[Paine in the Neck]

Lie and buy off the weak-willed in the opposition camp. That’s Lindsey’s strategy, per McCain’s practice.

[Resettozero]

Looks like Trey Gowdy has now boarded the RINO Express. ALL ABOARDDDDDD!!!!!!!!

I hear ya. But I think not. You have extrapolated too much from this news item.

[Resettozero]

...this news item by Halimuh Abdullah.

[SharpRightTurn]

“For the past three years we have worked together on a number of issues ranging from debt reduction to Benghazi.”

Have you seen if you can get Linseed on board with border enforcement, Trey?

[Blue Highway]

Sounds like he’s been kissing his hind quarters for 15 years now unless the story is false. If true it reeks of the same kind of crap McCain does with his Demonrat “friends” across the aisle.

[Resettozero]

Sounds like he’s been kissing his hind quarters for 15 years now unless the story is false. If true it reeks of the same kind of crap McCain does with his Demonrat “friends” across the aisle.

Or, you have extrapolated too much from this story. Or you harbor misgivings about Gowdy's honesty. Or, there is more to the story than you know. Or why would Halimuh Abdullah of CNN.com drag Gowdy into this Graham story? And why do you drag McCain into this comment regarding Gowdy?

But you have made your point-of-view regarding Gowdy apparent. Hope you see that mine is different than yours.

[Blue Highway]

I do see we have a different point of view but I sure hope for the sake of Gowdy’s integrity, he doesn’t get pulled under the Svengli spell of the RINO. If he has been bosom buddies with Lidsay Graham for 15 years I don’t honestly know how as I probably couldn’t be in that RINO’s presence for 10 minutes without calling out his weasely RINO ways. I’d tell him what I really think instead of chumming it up with him for 15 years!